On July 9, 2022, the PULSE Foundation successfully completed a 3-month training youth program, held in the period May - July 2022. In the inspiring process of learning and personal development, 9 young people between the ages of 13-17 and two volunteers who participated in previous groups and joined as peer trainers took an active part.

The training youth group is…

... an inspiring experience.

… based on values, personal relationships, equality and choice.

… a process tailored to the diversity of learning styles, containing tools for deepening the perception of new knowledge.

The youth training group uses the methodology of the Center "Marta" - Lithuania, which was piloted in the Republic of Bulgaria by the "Future Now" Association, Sofia, within the framework of the "RE-Group" project, funded under the ERASMUS + Program.

The training program took place in a training meeting format once a week, every Saturday for 8 weeks during which the youth were able to learn more about themselves and others, about healthy relationships with parents, friends, classmates, about how to protect themselves and their loved ones from various types of violence, how to understand their behavior and emotions, as well as how to care for yourself and others and a number of other topics to help with personal development, developing interpersonal relationships and good health.

The learning and action process was a creatively oriented interactive teaching process that took place in a positive and friendly atmosphere promoting tolerance and support, using thematic case studies, games, practical examples, experiences and methods of non-formal learning, physical activities and movement.

An important point in terms of continuity and continuation of good practice for working with youth was the inclusion of volunteers who had already gone through the process of the previous groups, who had the opportunity to gain experience in the process of a mentoring program to facilitate a group process and use the methods of informal education in their role as trainers.

At the final group, a meeting was also held with representatives of the organizations that are part of the Consultative Council for Youth Policy and participating as partners in the project - Bulgarian Red Cross Youth - Pernik, Municipal Youth Council - Pernik, as well as a representative of the International Youth Center - Pernik, who presented their activities and shared about upcoming initiatives in which the youth could get involved.

The Learning Youth Group is an inspiring experience for young people based on values, personal relationships, equality and choice, during which young people venture into the world of knowledge, skills and play, experiences and dreams.

The training group for young people is realized in partnership with Municipal Youth Council - Pernik, Bulgarian Red Cross Youth and International Youth Center - Pernik.

The Youth Group project is part of the municipal annual plan for youth 2022, developed in fulfillment of the objectives of the currently active Municipal Youth Strategy (2021-2030) in the context of one of the main priority areas of the Municipality of Pernik for the coming year, namely: 2022 - European Year of Youth.

 For twenty-three years now, the PULSE Foundation has been developing a program for prevention of violence through non-formal education, conducting youth activities, raising awareness by organizing campaigns, trainings, conferences against violence, etc.

The PULSE Foundation's prevention program aims to prevent, intervene and eliminate all forms of violence and exploitation of children so that they have a better future and in turn grow as valuable people and defenders of human rights.